During the winter season, soup is one of our go-to family dinners! Whether it’s a slow cooker potato soup or a hearty minestrone soup, a warm and comforting soup is always a hit in my house. This vegan split pea soup is truly flavorful, satisfying and a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

In my opinion, there is simply about nothing more comforting than a bowl of piping hot soup to warm the body and soul. Split pea soup is the reliable meal for a chilly day! It’s thick, creamy and so satisfying.

It also simply happens to be vegetarian, vegan & gluten free friendly.

What are split peas?

Split peas are dried peas that are nutrient-rich and can be found in most grocery stores near the dried beans. They come in yellow and green varieties. The green variety, which we’re using today, have a subtle sweetness that makes this soup irresistible. Yellow split peas are often used in curries and have a more mild flavor.

There’s no need to soak the green split peas for this soup recipe. We want to simmer the peas for a good amount of time to allow for the flavors to develop and for the peas to cook down and make this soup thick and creamy.

Ingredients:

Familiar split pea soup recipes are filled with plenty of nutrition; you get a variety of good vegetables, protein, fiber, and incredibly well-seasoned seasonings. What’s not to love? Here’s what you’ll need:

Olive oil. Only a bit is needed to sauté the vegetables.
Veggies. To give our pea soup plenty of flavor and heartiness, we’re using yellow onion, carrots, celery and garlic.
Vegetable broth. The veggies are simmered in a savory vegetable broth, which keeps this dish vegan.
Dried split peas. Once the peas are cooked down, they give this soup a subtle sweetness and pleasing creaminess that’s SO flavor-packed!
Seasonings. I find it convenient and only as flavor-packed to use dry herbs for kitchen-made pea soup. You’ll need a bay leaf, thyme and cumin.
Salt + pepper. Necessary to make all of the flavors truly pop!

How to make vegan split pea soup:

Making this fireside split pea soup recipe is such a breeze! A regular here that everything is cooked in one pot and other than a little veggie chopping, it takes particularly little effort to throw together. Here’s a short rundown of the instructions:

First, sauté your onion, celery, carrots and garlic in a large pot for several minutes until veggies begin to soften.
Add in the vegetable broth, split peas and seasonings, simmer for about one hour, stirring frequently.
Stir in the salt and pepper, and cook for another 5 minutes. Unfussy!

Tips for making split pea soup:

This dish truly is unfussy, but here are some tips to make sure your pea soup cooks up solid every single time!

I recommend picking over the peas and checking for pebbles and debris. Then, you can rinse and drain them.
Vegan split pea soup is quite versatile. Feel free to add any other veggies or seasonings that you prefer.
The green split peas do a great job of cooking down and thickening into a textured puree – you don’t even need to use an immersion blender. However, if you prefer your soup be creamier, feel free to use one. You could also simply let the soup simmer longer. The longer it simmers, the thicker it will become.

bowl filled with vegan split pea soup served with crackers

Split pea soup serving suggestions:

This soup would be completely savory paired with any of the following:

Simple green salad
Crackers or croutons
Rolls or crusty bread
Cornbread
Grilled cheese

Storing and freezing split pea soup:

This pea soup recipe is reliable for meal prep or as a make ahead meal, and reheats particularly well. You may even find that it’s tastier the next day!

Leftovers. Like most other soup recipes, split pea soup can be stored in an airtight container and kept in your fridge for up to about 4 to 5 days. If you feel that the soup has become a little too thick, simply add in some veggie broth or water.

Freezing. You can freeze split pea soup! Once it’s completely cooled, place it in freezer-safe containers or resealable gallon-sized freezer bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer the soup to the fridge to thaw overnight. When ready to serve, reheat it on medium heat on the stovetop. You will most likely need to add more liquid to the soup because it can become quite thick.